Twinsabers: The Master
by Lady Celebare
Summary: *Ch 5 Up*Kal'Take Chanre had a terribly low Midi-Chlorian count. Aquel Faemir was a rogue knight. The Force brought them together, and only they can save each other...Just what tests can the bonds of Master and Apprentice survive? Re-Post, new version
1. Aquel

****

Twinsabers: The Master  
_By Blade Malfoy Celebare_

  
**Rating: **PG-13

****

Notes: This could possibly become a published work, so NO STEALING! If you want to use any of my created characters, please ask! I'll be more than happy to let you, but I'd like to know where they're going.

Constructive Criticisms are VERY APPRECIATED! Please don't just say you liked the fic. What did you like, what didn't you like, what confused you, etc. Please ^^

  
Aquel Feamir felt extraordinarily out of place at the Temple. She walked down the pristine, polished hallways with her head bowed and her hood up, hoping that no one would take any notice of her. She so desperately wanted to remain hidden that she utilized a few mind tricks - but in the midst of the Masters, they were useless. No matter how hard she tried, no matter what back ways and byways she took, she was always spotted.  
  
Today was no different.  
  
"Ah, Aquel Faemir, welcome home!" boomed a loud, bold voice, and Aquel shuddered inwardly. Baro Heldekar had spotted her, and he wouldn't let her get on with her business until she had been pestered to near insanity.  
  
"Baro," she said, forcing a smile onto her pale, narrow face. "What a. pleasant surprise. I thought you were away on a mission."  
  
"I was," Baro grinned. The scaly Trandoshan couldn't resist boasting about his endeavors, which was unseemly for a Jedi, to say the very least. "They sent me to Kessel to break up a minor riot. It turned out to be nothing more than a payment dispute, which I settled in the usual republic manner."  
  
"Ah, how nice for you," she said, looking around for an escape rout. Baro was about to launch into one of his political speeches about the nature of Republic laws, and she had heard enough of that in the past few weeks to make her nauseous. She was about to settle into a meditating exercise to drown out some of Baro's prattling when her salvation came marching around the corner.  
  
"Qui-Gon Jinn!" She called, brushing past Baro. The Trandoshan glowered at the older Man as Aquel rushed to greet him; there was no way he would be able to finish his speech now. The human Jedi was always ruining perfectly good conversations.  
  
"Aquel! It's good to see you," Qui-Gon replied, reaching out to give the rescued Jedi a brief, friendly hug. "What brings you back to the Temple?"  
  
"Ah, actually, I wanted to discuss that matter with you," she said, jerking her head back to where Baro was standing.  
  
"Of course," Qui-Gon smiled. "I was just on my way downstairs for a meal. Would you care to join me?"  
  
Aquel allowed herself a relieved smile as she strode past Baro.  
  
"Where's Ben?" Aquel asked as she entered one of the temple's high-speed lifts with Qui-Gon.  
  
"He's downstairs already. I sensed your distress and came to help you," the older Jedi laughed.  
  
"You're my savior," Aquel replied, bowing low with a grin on her face.  
  
Qui-Gon nodded, smiling. "So, what is this matter you wanted to speak to me about, or were you just looking for an escape rout?"  
  
"No," she replied, "I really did want to talk with you. I returned because of a dream, a vision, I think. I believe it was telling me that I ought to return to take on another, to teach them."  
  
Qui-Gon nodded understandingly. "The taking of a Padawan is a great responsibility, and must be decided upon with the greatest of care."  
  
"I think the Force tells us when and who to choose," Aquel replied, staring out of one of the lift's massive plasteel viewpanes. "I felt a strong compulsion to return here, as if someone needs me."  
  
"All will become clear in time," Qui-Gon said as the lift doors slid open. "And now, I think, is the time to meditate over sustenance. I haven't had a decent meal in weeks."  
  
Aquel nodded and followed him out of the lift, but just as the heavy durasteel doors slid shut behind her, she was struck into silence by a sudden stab of dread. They were returning again, the visions, and she was gripped by a deep, unreasoning fear - a terror that wrapped its icy claws about her heart like a vice. She hadn't felt such fear since she had ended her education and become a knight; such emotion was usually easily eliminated with simple meditations. This terror was primal, though, and it ate at her very being. Thoughts of meditation flew from her mind immediately; she had to exercise extreme self-control just to keep from running down the hallways, screaming.  
  
"Aquel," Qui-Gon said, concerned, turning to face her. "Are you all right?" She merely nodded in response, knowing that her fear was so overpowering that every Force-sensitive being in the temple could feel it in some way or another. "You haven't told me everything, and there is another reason for your return," the man said softly, placing both strong hands on her shoulders. "If you need to speak alone to me, away from the others, just let me know." Again, she gave him a numb nod, and he gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. With that the terror lifted itself from her heart, and she became rational again - yet how long until the visions returned?  
  
Sensing that the momentary danger had passed, Qui-Gon again moved towards the heavy durasteel doors that opened into the 'mess hall' of the Temple. The two Jedi entered the room, and a few heads turned to acknowledge them, but only one being stood to greet them. The young man was taller than Aquel remembered, his legs no longer so lanky, his face more mature; she was surprised for a moment to see the long braid of a Padawan hanging down his broad back. This man looked old enough - not to mention confidant enough - to have graduated from the Learner phase of his life long ago.  
  
"Master Feamir," he said, grinning broadly as he bowed, first to her, then to his own Master, Qui-Gon. This was improper, of course, but Qui-Gon didn't seem to care. It had been a long time since last his Padawan had seen Aquel.  
  
"Please, Obi-Wan, let's dispense with the formalities," Aquel laughed, holding out her arms to embrace the young man she had known since his boyhood. Obi-Wan accepted the hug gratefully and returned it, sending a sheepish look over her shoulder to Qui-Gon. The other Jedi merely smiled.  
  
"What brings you back to the temple, Aquel?" Obi-Wan asked, stumbling over the use of her first name. He had been taught his whole life to call his elders by their titles and last names, but of course Aquel wouldn't let him do that. She wasn't exactly what you'd call a traditionalist.  
  
"I thought that I ought to check in with the Masters before they thought me dead," she said, raising her eyes skyward for a moment. Obi-Wan struggled to hide a grin: Aquel was as much of a rebel against rigid council doctrine as his master. "I also wanted to see you again, since I heard you were here. I've been told you two are being sent to-"  
  
"Naboo," Qui-Gon finished. "We're being sent to play the part of ambassadors, to try and head off violent conflict. You've heard of the Trade Federation's blockade against Naboo?"  
  
"Indeed," she said wryly. "Remember, I was born there. I believe the Federation should be done away with, the scoundrels. Legal blockade, my foot," she snorted.  
  
"That's exactly what I think," Obi-Wan said. "I don't think they'll take to kindly to our presence."  
  
"And yet, we must do what is asked of us. We may prevent a full-scale invasion and head off other major conflicts, as well."  
  
Aquel was about to give him a sarcastic retort when another chill crept up her spine; she turned slowly to face Qui-Gon, and what she saw there made her breath catch in her throat. She saw a wraith hovering above his head, his ghost, with a dead look in its eyes and a wicked slash across its torso…  
  
And then, as quickly as she shade had appeared, it vanished.  
  
Qui-Gon turned a concerned look in her direction again. "What's wrong?"  
  
She shook her head fiercely a few times to clear it, and put on a careless voice. "Nothing, I'm just weary from my travels is all."  
  
"Let me get you a drink," Obi-Wan said, casting her a look that made her think that he knew much more than she gave him credit for.

~-~-~-  
  
The following morning Aquel woke feeling more refreshed than she had in many months. The usual nightmares hadn't plagued her sleep, and she was extremely grateful for this. Perhaps she just needed to return to the temple. Maybe the visions were over… that was unlikely, though. The nightmares were part of her very being.  
  
The night before Aquel had gone to see Master Yoda, to meditate and tell him of her travels and her intentions. Jedi usually went to the small alien master first with their troubles, before consulting the rest of the council, and though Aquel was known for her disregard of the rules, she too respected Master Yoda and his opinions. Yoda had agreed to accompany Aquel to the Student Halls the following morning to help her in her search for a Padawan, a job Aquel wasn't exactly looking forward to.

  
"It's like choosing a thoroughbred Tauntaun," she muttered to herself, making a face in the refresher unit's small mirror as she put up her hair. She had washed out her mid-length silver-blue mane earlier, and it framed her pale face elegantly, like a halo. She examined her thin eyebrows, decided they didn't need plucking, then splashed a good amount of fresh, cool water over her face. She scrubbed her nose, ears, forehead, and high cheekbones thoroughly, clearing away the grime of months-long space travel. When she opened her silver-gray eyes to inspect herself, she found the results of her washing a great improvement. Once again she thanked the force that she was human; fur or scales were probably much harder to keep clean than plain skin was.  
  
Once she was satisfied with her cleanliness (she wasn't usually so meticulous, but she wanted to present a good image to any prospective Padawans she might encounter), she threw her lightweight, off-white outer tunic over her head, pulled on her calf-high boots, clipped her white- handled lightsaber to her durable utility belt, and threw on her rough, brown Jedi robe. One more inspection had her satisfied that she looked enough like a Jedi Knight to garner respect, and she exited her room confidently. Baro had been sent away to attend a meeting of the Republic senate, so even he couldn't ruin her day.  
  
Aquel walked along the outer hallways of the temple, marveling as she always did at the bustle of the populace below. The skylanes were full of all sorts of ships, from transit barges as large as battlecruisers, to tiny two-passenger speeders. She thought of her own ship, an ancient N-1 model that she had customized herself. The little brick-red ship was spaceworthy and quick, and thus had been dubbed the Shield Dodger by Aquel and her comrades. It was a tiny ship, but would easily accommodate a Padawan Learner.  
  
With that thought in mind, Aquel punched in the access code to enter the student's area of the Temple. The heavy doors slid open with a metallic hiss, and Aquel stepped through into another world. The corridors smelled differently here, perhaps because of the energies and youth of its dwellers. The hallway encircled the entire Temple with warren-like corridors branching off the main pathway. Small, compact, but comfortable dormitories lined these inner passages while large outer hallway consisted of lightsaber training rooms, meditation chambers, and common rooms. Scuff marks from hasty feet covered the polished floors, and someone hand hung a sign that said "Do or Do Not, or you get no pie" outside of one of the lightsaber training rooms. Yoda sat before the door of the room, staring up at the sign with a hint of a smile in his eyes.  
  
"Master Yoda," Aquel said by way of greeting, bowling low before the aged Jedi.  
  
"Aquel Faemir, welcome," Yoda said, turning to face her. "Glad I am, to see you. We feared you were injured."  
  
Aquel smiled despite herself at Yoda's familiar dialect. "It takes quite a lot to injure me. I'm a tough old bird. Besides, you know me, I enjoy hiding."  
  
"Hope I do, that you do not enjoy solitude," Yoda said. "A great responsibility, a Padawan is. Trust, must you have, yes, and knowledge. Yes, and a patience! A master must have patience. Have you these things?"  
  
Aquel sensed a test of sorts, or at least an indication of how good of a Master she would make. "I trust the Force with all my heart, and I have enough knowledge to teach another. I'm still learning, though. You once taught me that one can never have enough knowledge, and that we gain new knowledge each and every day, if we are open."  
  
Yoda nodded approvingly. "Taught me something new, you did," he said seriously.  
  
"What's that?" she asked, puzzled. What could she have taught Master Yoda?  
  
"Taught me you have, that a wild little girl can remember her lessons."  
  
"Ah, you caught me off guard," Aquel replied, smiling.  
  
"And I have also seen what I need. Come, follow me," Yoda said, motioning for her to enter the training room. "See we will, perhaps one of these will become your student, Hmm?" Aquel followed Yoda unquestioningly and took a seat in the darkened room. A few moments after she had seated herself, two young Jedi entered the room. They strode to the center of it, bowed to each other, and ignited their training lightsabers. Aquel had a flashback of sorts, remembering a particularly painful training session in which a rival student had severely burned her arm. She half-winced and instinctively sent healing thoughts to the boys.  
  
The two young potential Jedi fought fiercely, more fiercely than Aquel would have liked. They were trying too hard to impress her, and neither was really concentrating on what mattered the most. She muttered the old mantra under her breath, mentally sending the thoughts to the students. _'A Jedi must know neither fear nor hate. A Jedi must not be ambitious nor selfish. A Jedi must adhere to the will of the Force.'_  
  
Yoda shot her a sidelong glance and muttered, "Forgot one, you did."  
  
She nodded apologetically. "I didn't think it applied to this situation."  
  
"Correct, you are, but never must you forget."  
  
Aquel again felt like a mere student in Yoda's presence, rather than a Jedi Knight of 55 years, and she watched the rest of the match in silence.  
  
After watching numerous lightsaber exercises, examining meditations, scrutinizing consciences and monitoring the thoughts of students for hours, Aquel began to think that choosing a Padawan would prove impossible. Though many of the students performed admirably, she didn't feel any special attachment to any of them. She was looking for the one who had called to her in her visions, the one who needed her, but if that one was here at all, she hadn't seen them. It was terrible, seeing the crestfallen faces of the youths she overlooked. None of them were right, and she was afraid of making a fatal error… losing a pupil to the Dark Side was the worst thing that could happen to a Jedi Master.  
  
As she walked slowly back to her room, ready to meditate for a few hours before allowing herself to sleep, she let her mind wander back across the years. She remembered her own childhood, and how lucky she had been in her studenthood. She had been chosen as a Padawan at the young age of nine, at the most opportune time. Children from the ages of eight to eleven had the most potential for learning, and being taken on by a Knight at such a young age only meant more years of experience and training outside of the temple. Aquel's first master was Cheryen, an aged and wizened old woman with a talent for future-sight and true empathy. She trained Aquel for eight long years, passing on her knowledge to the youth. Aquel was a quick learner with a sharp memory and soon possessed a wisdom that few her age could claim.  
  
The memory of Cheryen's death still haunted Aquel. Just after Aquel's seventeenth birthday the Council sent the pair on a diplomatic mission to a volatile arms manufacturer on one of the core worlds. The dictator there hadn't taken very well to the idea of the Republic interfering with their black-market trade and sent assassins to dispose of Cheryen and her apprentice. Cheryen, slowed with age, was slain with a vibroblade. The only physical reminder of the encounter for Aquel was a deep gash on her right thigh, but the flames of her master's funeral pyre burned an indelible mark of pain into her mind.  
  
And now would she choose one to instruct, to lead into a bond that would forever tie them together? Would she bear responsibility for one as special as a Force adept, even after death? How could she be trusted with that sort of responsibility?  
  
Aquel Faemir had a sudden realization just before she banished all thoughts for sleep; All Jedi someday faced an event that left them scarred for life. What would Obi-Wan's future hold? 

****

A/N: Well? What d'you think? Keep in mind, this is chapter one. There are supposed to be questions ^^ Please tell me if anything confused you so I can be sure to clear it up in the later chapters. Expect the next chapters very soon! I've got chapters 2 and 3 typed, after all. 


	2. Younglings

****

Notes: Here's chappy 2… just like I promised ^^ Original Twinsabers readers will find not much new, but a lot of gramatical corrections J Oh, by the way, dun expect chapter 3 'till late this week or next weekend… I've got exams starting this Friday the 13th x.x

The morning sunlight reflected off of the silvery surfaces of Coruscant's skyscrapers, turning the dingy monuments of society's greed into ethereal temples, the homes of some ancient, long-forgotten deities. Even the skylanes, polluted with the exhaust of a million starships and full of trash barges and rusted cargo haulers, turned into things of beautiful brilliance in the dawn light. Aquel Faemir had been up since before the sun rose, meditating in silence outside of her room, partially to see this sight. Though it became an irritation to those who had to fly at dawn, hauling trash or commuting to jobs on the planet's other side, to Aquel it was a miracle that never ceased to amaze and thrill her. Somehow the brilliance and beauty focused her thoughts. She was in tune to every whisper of the Force, every ripple of movement, every thread of life-force that flowed between all things.  


It was during a long-ago sunrise, when she was just 4, that she had first seen these 'Force strings', as she and Qui-Gon had called them as children. She had learned that these energy strands were the tools of a Jedi, and they controlled everything a Jedi did, from moving objects to reading minds to seeing the future. All one had to know was how to pull the strings in the right manner, and everything was possible. As younglings, Aquel and Qui-Gon had delighted in these new playthings, always testing their mental strength by tugging at the most difficult strings they could find. It had built great skill in the two children, and had brought smiles to the faces of older Jedi... until the two had pulled a carpet from underneath Master Yoda's feet, and then they had been taught the valuable lesson of which strings to pull and which to leave alone.  
  
Now Aquel had complete control, and she felt the old thrill of excitement she received whenever she felt the Force strings attached to her own being. They tugged on her from hundreds of sources, thrumming with a strange power, filling her with strength and knowledge. For her, this was the pinnacle of meditation, when she could see and feel the tug of the Force at her very soul. Once she had identified each string, she began working on discovering where they were coming from. Like an ant on a wire her mind crawled its way slowly up the strands, now completely blind to outside sights and feelings. Her whole being was centered on crawling up this Force string, and when she reached its end to find a tiny Glow Worm in the temple wall, she allowed herself a smile of satisfaction. Even the smallest were bound with the living Force.  
  
After centering herself again she chose another string and worked up along it, and repeated this until she had crawled up nearly fifty Force pathways. Some led to tiny creatures near her, some to the ships outside in the skylanes, or to the very Temple stones themselves; some even led to other planets and other galaxies! Some had been strange and difficult to find the end of; these were the strings attached to Force-sensitive beings. However, the string she had just chosen was one that was familiar and comforting to her. It had a familiar energy signature, and she knew before even touching it where it led. She deliberated for a moment whether she should indeed cross it; she didn't want to disturb its owner. Before she could reach a conclusion, however, Aquel felt the string vibrate, and like a spider in her web, she understood the message. The string's owner had found her, and was approaching her consciousness. Normally Aquel would have put up a barrier around the Force Strings to cut off any unwanted visitors, but she felt completely safe with this person.  
  
_Good Morning_ said a voice in her head, and she smiled broadly. It was nice to know that, even after all these years of separation, she and Qui-Gon could still communicate with thoughts alone.  
  
_Good morning to you_, she replied, sending a smile thought along with the words. She and Qui-Gon met in the middle of the Force String, and she could almost see his smiling face. One of the benefits of Force communication was the transmission of feelings and thoughts as well as words.

  
_How long have you been awake?_ He asked.  
  
_Since before sunrise_, she replied, keeping any signs of weariness from her thoughts. _I had hoped to find some hint of purpose in the Force Strings.  
_  
_Ah,_ Qui-Gon said understandingly_. We can only pull on the Force strings, not tell them where to take us._  
  
They sat together for a while, comfortable in the mutual silence, enjoying the peace of the morning and the company of old friends, when another consciousness tugged on the Force string. Aquel sensed that this being was coming from Qui-Gon's end, and with practiced ease she identified the youthful speaker_. Obi-Wan,_ she said, _Welcome!  
_  
_Good morning, _he said courteously, _may I come in?  
_  
_Certainly,_ Qui-Gon replied. Obi-Wan's youthful, yet mature, consciousness moved along the Force string to join them, bringing with him the energy of the Coruscant morning.  
  
_So these are the infamous Force strings,_ he said cheerfully.  
  
_Yes, the infamous Force strings that connect best friends and their nosey Padawans,_ Aquel joked. _I'm glad you made it through, my Ben._  
  
Obi-Wan's mind smiled at the use of her pet name for him; she had called him 'Ben' since he was little. _Thank you for inviting me, Master Faemir, he replied, using her formal name on purpose.  
_  
_I need to break you of that habit,_ she muttered. Qui-Gon just laughed.  
  
The banter and talk went on for a few more moments as Aquel and Qui-Gon caught up on old times and Obi-Wan listened. The two Jedi had more in common than most others he'd ever heard of, and yet their tight bond was mostly hidden from outsiders. Obi-Wan had always wondered why their thoughts seemed to guarded, even at times like this. Everyone knew Qui-Gon had trained Aquel for a few years before she was knighted, and that could explain the bond… so why hide it?  
  
_Hmm, I sense Mace Windu walking down the hallway,_ Aquel said. _I'd better get up before he trips over me. It was good to speak with both of you. I wish you well on your next errand!  
_  
_Remember, always follow the Force strings,_ Qui-Gon called after her as she turned to leave. She nodded, smiling, but before she could break the string and return to her own consciousness, a cold breeze blew across her. She sensed a great blackness hovering over Qui-Gon's mind…  
  
And then she was centered, and could no longer see the Force strings or the minds of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.  
  
"Ah, a little bit of early morning meditation?" Mace Windu said cheerfully as he passed her in the corridor.  
  
"I've missed the temple, Master Windu," she replied, bowing respectfully. That wasn't entirely true, but she could hide her small lies from Mace's probing senses.  
  
"You should visit us more often. No doubt you could add much to this place." Mace was, of course, referring to the Jedi Council, which had been asking Aquel to join it since she had become a Jedi Knight. None of the other Masters had the gift in Seeing like she did, except for Yoda, but the aged alien Master always spoke in riddles. Aquel had always politely declined these requests, though; the Council was far too rigid for her, and she didn't fancy being stuck inside the temple for all time.  
  
"I'm sure I could," she said politely, "but my work is outside of Coruscant."  
  
Something in the steel of her voice told Mace not to press the issue. "I wish you the best of luck in your search for a Padawan. What is it Qui-Gon always tells you to do? Follow the Force strings?"  
  
"Yes," Aquel said, forcing a smile. She didn't feel comfortable when other people used the phrase, because to her it had always been something unique shared only between herself and Qui-Gon. She summoned her dignity around her, bowed again to Mace Windu, and left.  
  
_'Follow the Force Strings'_, Aquel thought to herself as she wandered aimlessly down the secluded hallways of the Jedi Temple's basement level. She wanted to think alone, to seek the answers to her problems without interruption. Could she follow the Force Strings to a potential Padawan? Was that what Qui-Gon had meant? Without a clear pathway or signal, though, it would be impossible to find any one specific student. Aquel knew about the bonds between Master and Padawan, but were those bonds in place even before the two met? _'I might as well try,_' Aquel thought to herself resignedly.  
  
She took the lift to the Student floor again, now focused on seeing the Force strings in front of her, but not on following them. She waited for one to jump out at her, like a spider waiting for the fly. She had slipped into this world of energy strands with practiced ease, and she could maintain her view of the Force even while speaking to someone else or focusing on something other than the strings around her. She used this skill to seem calm, unconcerned, aware; but when a Force string finally jumped out at her, vibrating with an unfamiliar energy signature, calling out to her like a signal flare at night, a quick look of elation and success crossed her face.  
  
Taking no chances, Aquel slipped into a half-meditative state in which she could clearly see the Force string and physically follow it to its owner. Mentally following the string would do no good; these students always had their mind shields up, from the moment they could create barriers - and besides, she wanted to see this one in person anyway. The strand took her through the student hallways, past young Jedi-in-training who looked at Aquel as if she were a goddess come to save them. Her feet finally took her to a Lightsaber training room, and she entered the viewing platform as silently as a hunting hawkbat. Through the dim gloom she saw three lightsaber beams, and briefly wondered if three students were fighting.  
  
On the contrary, though, there were only two: a tall, lanky Gungan male and a sinewy avian creature. The avian held two lightsabers, one in each powerful, clawed paw-wingtip. Aquel knew from the moment she laid eyes on the young creature that this was the being whose mind had called to her so clearly, and began to make a few quick assessments. The being looked young - though Aquel couldn't actually judge her age in standard years - and was several heads shorter than the gungan. Even though she appeared young physically, she held herself with a grace and confidence that even some adult Jedi masters never learned.  
  
The confidence was well placed, too. Aquel had never seen anyone fight like this wiry avian fought; she abandoned all rules of traditional fighting, treating the duel not as a dance but as a game. She whirled and ducked, dodged and leaped, struck and blocked as if the sabers were extensions of her own body. The gungan gave the fight everything he had, blocking and striking whenever he had the chance, but it was obvious who would take the victory. Salty sweat trickled down the gungan's long face, and his breath came in heavy grunting gasps. His movements slowed as exhaustion crept in, and several times the avian's sabers found their way through the gungan's defence.  
  
"Enough, Kal'Take," the gungan cried, raising his hands in surrender. "I tell you, none of us will ever defeat you."  
  
"In saber games, perhaps," Kal'Take replied, deactivating her lightsabers. "In other areas, it is easy enough to claim a victory over me. You just defeated me in a Force-moving exercise the other day, Yarro."  
  
"You'll never need anything other than those two demons," Yarro panted, collapsing backwards onto the cool stone floor. "You can either outwit your enemies, or chop them to bits. Who needs to move boulders when you can just cut right to the heart of the problem?"  
  
"Hah, cut to the heart of the problem," Kal'Take laughed, clacking her sharp beak together. "Your humor never ceases to amaze me, friend." She reached down to help Yarro stand. "Now, let's go down to the dining hall for a bite to eat. You look like you could use some liquid refreshment."  
  
Aquel watched the two friends leave the training room, and was vaguely reminded of herself when she was younger. Smiling, she stood to leave the room, when a small noise stopped her. She turned and saw Master Yoda sitting on the bench in the corner, watching her.  
  
"I didn't see you there, master," Aquel said, bowing low. She felt rather embarrassed for not noticing him.  
  
"Want you to see me, I did not," Yoda replied, hopping down off the bench. "Wish to take the Kyri on, do you?"  
  
"I believe she is the one I saw in my vision, Master."  
  
Yoda nodded understandingly. "Come to us in many ways, our apprentices do. For your friend Qui-Gon, it was by chance. But always the same is the Padawan's reaction. Relieved, Kal'Take will be - of this I am certain."  
  
"Relieved?" Aquel asked, raising an eyebrow. "After that display of talent and courtesy, I'm surprised she is still here at the Temple."  
  
"Have our strengths, we do. Amazed, I was, with Kal'Take's talent. However, watch always for the weaknesses." The green-skinned Master fixed Aquel with his piercing gaze. "Yes, watch always for the weaknesses."  
  
Aquel nodded mutely, not daring to inquire about the nature of the Kyri's 'weaknesses'. She was sure Yoda wouldn't tell her, anyway. "Do I have the Council's blessing in this decision, Master?"  
  
"Agree with you, the council does," Yoda said benevolently. "Take this Padawan, you may. Once your affairs are in order concerning this matter, come to the Council chamber you will. Have a mission for you, we do."  
  
"Many thanks, Master Yoda," Aquel said, bowing deeply. "I swear to train Kal'Take to the best of my abilities, and to keep her treading the path of good."  


~-~-~-

  
The student mess hall seemed like a battleground compared to the serenity of the main mess hall. Nearly a hundred Force-sensitive youngsters were crowded into the square room, vying for spots in the food line or chatting with their friends at one of the large, circular dining tables. Kal'Take didn't mind the chaotic noise - she actually welcomed it after the tense silence of the dueling room.  
  
"Well, shall I offer a duel in exchange for a spot in line?" Kal asked, quirking one feathered eyebrow. The students within hearing range grinned at those in line, and those in the food line shuffled their feet nervously. "Oh, I was only joking," she chuckled as a few began to back out of line. Kal'Take's skills with the saber were renown throughout the temple, especially with the other students.  
  
"Water will do fine for us," Yarro said, grabbing a glass from a nearby drink tray. The gungan downed the liquid in a few seconds.  
  
"You could dry a lake with little help, friend," Kal said. "Care to share?"  
  
Yarro handed her another one of the glasses before drinking another two himself. "At home, we just take a swim if we're thirsty," he said cheekily.  
  
The gungan and the Kyri sat down at one of the large tables with a black Wookiee and a human. "Well, Kal, did Yarro get the best of you?" the human asked with mock innocence.  
  
"Oh, almost," Kal said dryly. "As much as I hate to brag, none of you makes a good match for me."  
  
"Even Master Yoda wouldn't make a match for you," the Wookiee chuffed. He was one of the few of his species to master Basic.  
  
"Oh, that has yet to be determined," Kal grinned. "I wouldn't dare challenge Master Yoda. For one, I enjoy having all my tailfeathers, and for another thing, if I did beat him, I'd probably get kicked out of the temple."  
  
"Imagine that, being good enough at dueling to defeat your master," Yarro laughed.  
  
"If I ever am chosen by a Master," Kal said morosely.  
  
"Have no fear, feathers," the Wookiee growled comfortingly. "You'll be chosen, no doubts."  
  
"I hope you're right, Ferlo," Kal sighed. "The life of a farmer isn't exactly what I envisioned when I was brought here. I want to see other star systems! I want to fly, I want to fight for good…" Kal shrugged helplessly at the limited vocabulary of basic. "We have a word for it in my language. It means all of those things, and more. Once a warrior achieves it, he also achieves true happiness…"

"Like I said, don't worry about it," Ferlo said. "You've got time. I'm absolutely positive someone will choose you. Farming just isn't in your stars."


	3. Acceptance

****

Notes: Chapter 3! Woo! One more chapter, then we get into the completely new stuff! Once again, not too much new here, except for a load of grammatical corrections, along with a little flashback to Aquel's past. As for Qui training Aquel… yes, they are around the same age J Only 5 years apart, actually. However, Aquel's past gets pretty convoluted after her first master dies… but never fear, all will be revealed in time ^^ Anyway, enough jabbering. Enjoy the chapter!

Aquel's first impression of Kal had been a fairly shallow one – after seeing her duel, and noting her raptorial features, she assumed the young Padawan was dangerous, hotheaded, and fierce. Though she didn't expect her to be dimwitted, she also didn't expect much in the way of wisdom. Then again, wisdom was easily built through long years of hard work and training, and Aquel was quite ready to help Kal'Take along. However, when the silver-haired master stepped into the Council audience chamber to meet with her new apprentice before the council, her opinion changed slightly.

Kal'Take had obviously spent several hours grooming herself that morning. Her silvery mane of head feathers glittered like polished durasteel, and the blue-gray crest feathers that highlighted her eyes like eyebrows had been brushed out to a smooth sheen. Her savagely hooked beak glittered like copper, reflecting in her bright green eyes. She had worn her full ceremonial tunic, consisting of a white under tunic of soft linen, a pale gray homespun over tunic, and a stiffer brown surcoat, all belted with a gray sash and sturdy leather utility belt. The two hilts of her sabers, one a polished opal black and the other, a pale bone white, hung on opposite sides of the belt within easy reach of her claws. She also wore her durable dark-brown Jedi robe, the wide hood hanging down her back. The gray feathers of her legs and arms were also well-combed, those on her legs brushing like soft down over her scaly amber feet and deadly black talons. An emerald-green scaled tail like that of a lizard twitched nervously below the hem of the robe.

The graceful Kyri bowed low to Aquel as the master entered the room. She seemed serene, but not overconfident. Aquel sensed a sharp wit and intelligence behind the young one's eyes, and also a deep thirst to prove herself. She seemed terribly afraid that Aquel would not choose her…

"Welcome, Jedi Knight Faemir and Apprentice Chanre," Yoda said as the two took their place before the council. "Welcome you, we do."

"We are honored," Aquel said politely, nodding her head. This was probably not the best time to show her disregard for the council. Kal'Take bowed deeply beside her, obviously in awe of the many Jedi Masters.

"Already you know, Master Faemir, why it is we have called you here," Yoda said. "Kal'Take Chanre, know you why you have come?"

"I do not, Master," Kal'Take replied respectfully. "I trust the wisdom of the Council." It was obvious from the tone in her voice that she _did_ wholly trust the council, and Aquel made a mental note of it.

Mace spoke next. "Master Faemir has expressed an interest in taking you on as her Padawan learner." Kal'Take stared at Mace for a moment, jaw hanging open with disbelief, then turned to Aquel.

"You… you wish to train me?" she asked, forgetting for a moment that she was supposed to remain quiet and speak only when spoken to. Aquel nodded, smiling.

"That was my intent, yes."

"Accept you, Master Faemir as your master?" Yoda asked Kal'Take. The short green master fixed the Kyri with his piercing gaze, and it seemed as if he could see straight through her thoughts into her innermost feelings.

"Gladly," Kal'Take said quietly, still half disbelieving what she had just heard. "I would be honored to be taught by such a Knight!"

"And you, Master Faemir, accept this apprentice as your Padawan?"

"Well, that's what I'm here for," Aquel smiled. "If she is willing to learn, then I am willing to teach."

"Long and difficult, the road of Master and Apprentice is," Yoda cautioned. "Face many trials, you will, and many paths to be chosen. Tempted, you both will be, by the Dark Side."

"Never forget, though, that an Apprentice makes a Knight whole, and vice versa," Mace added. "If you both are willing to accept the trials you will face, then you have our consent."

Kal'Take looked to Aquel to see if the Knight would speak first, but Aquel nodded for her to go first. "All my life I have faced trials," Kal'Take said quietly. "I would gladly face any danger – physical, mental, or otherwise – for just the chance to become a Jedi Knight and defend the order. I pledge myself entirely to learning what Master Faemir has to teach me, and the Force willing, I may give something back in return."

"And I am willing to teach all that I have learned in my life to Kal'Take, regardless of the dangers we both may face. We all learn from our hardships," Aquel said. "I can't promise I'll be able to prepare her for every danger lurking in this galaxy, but what mortal creature can? I'll teach her the ways of the Jedi and prepare her for a life of service to the order."

"Then accept Kal'Take as your Padawan learner we do, Aquel Faemir," Yoda said. "And bestow upon you, the title of Jedi Master. May the Force be with you both!"

~-~-~-

Aquel felt quite exhilarated as she strode down the broad main temple hallway. She'd found her Padawan! Qui-Gon had been right in his assessment of the situation, and Aquel deemed it necessary to inform him of that. No one would suggest she was merely going to see him… but, that was what she was doing. Qui-Gon knew he was right about the Force Strings. Wasn't he always?

"Your suggestion was right, Qui," she grinned as she trotted swiftly to catch up with the tall Jedi knight. Qui-Gon turned around and smiled back. "Of course I was. Who's your apprentice?"

"A Kyri named Kal'Take. Have you heard of her, Ben?" Aquel asked, turning to Obi-Wan.

"I've heard she's excellent with a saber, but other than that, no," Obi-Wan replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"A saber master? Well, that should be a bonus for you, Aquel," Qui-Gon said. "You know plenty about dueling."

"Not as much as you," Aquel replied. "I was only trained by him for three years. You were under his tutelage for much longer."

"Yet his saber program for you was much more intense." Qui-Gon quirked another smile. "I'm sure you remember those dueling exercises with… fondness."

"And pain," Aquel grimaced. Of course she remembered the exercises. Dooku had been a hard master, but fair. At the time Aquel had thought he was terribly cruel, but looking back, it didn't seem so bad…

~-~-~-

"Come now, Aquel, you can do better." Dooku's cultured voice floated to Aquel from a transmitter mounted on the wall behind her, and for a brief moment, the young apprentice considered dismantling the small box and forcibly shoving it in a trash compactor. "Use your emotions to gain strength."

"I thought emotion led to the dark side," she panted, eyeing her opponents warily. The boxy training droid had seen better days, but its scuffed and scorched interior housed a very elaborate dueling program that could best even the most skilled of lightsaber masters. At the moment the droid was unmoving, its blue lightsaber held up in a classic defensive position. 

"Only anger leads towards evil," Dooku replied. "There are other emotions, just as potent, that you can harness to your advantage."

"Like what?" Sweat was trickling into Aquel's eyes, and it stung. She felt irritation rising in her, and swiftly squashed it. Irritation led to anger, and even Dooku admitted that anger was dangerous.

"Like your irritation, for example," Dooku replied. "You want this exercise to be over. Control that irritation and use it to your advantage."

"Irritation… right." Aquel ignited her lightsaber again and took a ready stance. "Ok, begin." 

The droid drove in swiftly, the blue saber lancing forward for Aquel's throat. She blocked upward, straining to push her opponent backwards. Her feet slid on the stone floor as the droid shoved forward, its mechanical circuits undamaged by her. She narrowed her eyes and focused, concentrating on getting this duel over with as soon as possible. She ducked suddenly and whirled under the droid's arm with Force-enhanced speed, then struck upwards with her emerald lightsaber. She smelled burning wires as the droid screeched in alarm, blowing billowing white foam from its fire-extinguisher hoses. Aquel's lightsaber was turned down to low power, and she was unable to do any real damage to the battle-scarred metal hulk, but the singing heat was enough to end the droid's assault program. Its arms dropped limply to its side, and its lightsaber extinguished itself. Aquel straightened up and pushed sweat-soaked strands of hair out of her eyes.

"How was that?" she asked, directing her voice towards the small speaker box.

"It was better than your first attempt," Dooku conceded. "Qui-Gon wishes me to tell you that he thinks you did a magnificent job-" Aquel grinned broadly- "However, that only shows how little he knows." The young woman scowled at that and attached her lightsaber hilt to her belt with huffy irritation.

"Can I go shower off now?"

"Well…"

"Come on, Master. I've been at this for hours."

"All right. Go rinse off. I expect you to be finished within one standard time part. You have a lot more work to do."

Aquel grimaced as she stumbled out of the dueling room. It seemed like she'd been dueling for three weeks straight. Then again, Qui-Gon had warned her about Dooku's obsession with dueling… and when Aquel had agreed to accompany the Count as an unofficial Padawan learner, she had agreed to both the good and the bad. At least she was around Qui-Gon…

~-~-~-

Kal'Take was still in a daze as she walked back to her dorm room to pack her things. Just hours ago she had felt she would never get the chance to become a Knight, and now she had one of the most reputable Jedi in the galaxy as her master! Yoda's warning of danger had stirred a sense of trouble in the Kyri, but she knew that now she would have the skills and the will to face anything. Perhaps with Aquel's help, she could overcome the obstacles that she had been born with…

"Kal! I heard the good news!" Ferlo said as Kal entered the student hallway. "Congratulations, my friend!"

"I can barely believe it," Kal murmured as Ferlo patted her shoulder. "I wonder if she knows I have the lowest Midi-Chlorian count of any apprentice here?"

"If she does, then it must not matter to her. If she doesn't, it shouldn't matter anyway," Ferlo rumbled. "You are the greatest duelist alive, and that must make up for any other weaknesses."

"I hope so," Kal sighed. "Master Faemir told me to pack up my essential items and meet her outside the hanger."

"Your first mission," Ferlo grinned. "Let me know how it turns out!"

"Aye, and let me know what happens here," Kal replied.

"I will, you know that," Ferlo assured her. "The Force willing, we may go on a mission together someday soon!"

Kal'Take smiled at that. "Indeed, the Force willing. I'll see you again soon, Ferlo, my friend. Keep training!"

"Take care, featherbrain," Ferlo chuffed. 

Kal'Take laughed, gave Ferlo a brief hug, and continued down the hall to her room. The Wookiee was a great friend, and as excited as she was to finally be leaving the temple, she would miss him.

~-~-~-

Not for the first time was Aquel extremely grateful for her starship. The trim, polished red ship looked refined and especially lovely next to the rusty bulk cruisers that were docked beside it. She had told Kal'Take about the _Shield Dodger,_ and Kal's eyes had lit up – apparently the young Kyri had a great interest in starships and flying them. As the Master and Apprentice entered the hanger, Kal's eyes immediately fixed on the _Shield Dodger._

"Which of these is yours, Master?" she asked respectfully, trying not to show her obvious interest in the red ship.

"I own that red one over there, beside the transport," Aquel smiled, pointing her ship out. Kal's eyes widened slightly and her jaw dropped.

"It's beautiful," she breathed. "What is it, an N-1?"

"Modified," Aquel replied. "I've added a more durable hyperdrive unit to it, as well as a few extras that the council might not approve of."

"Is she fast?" Kal asked eagerly.

"Only the fastest legal ship I've ever heard of."

"Master Faemir!" called a voice from the right of them, and Aquel turned to face the speaker. "We were afraid you might not come down to see us off."

"You need to have more faith in me, Ben," Aquel laughed as Obi-Wan trotted up to them. "I would never let you two leave without saying goodbye."

"Forgive my error, Master." Obi-Wan gave a low bow. 

"Why such courtesy?" Aquel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's practice," Obi-Wan shrugged with a smile. "These Nemoidians have quite an ego, if what I've heard is correct."

"The Trade Federation in general thinks a little too highly of itself," Qui-Gon said as he turned the corner to greet Aquel. "I'm glad you made it."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Aquel said cheekily, embracing Qui-Gon. "You both act as if you hadn't seen me just yesterday."

"You're the one showing overt affection with all this hugging," Obi-Wan pointed out with a trace of humor.

Aquel put on a look of mock surprise. "Well, so I am! Ah, my manners are lacking. I haven't introduced you all yet." She turned to her apprentice. "Kal'Take, this is Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Gentlemen, this is my apprentice, Kal'Take Chanre."

"Pleased to meet you, Kal'Take," Qui-Gon said, returning the Kyri's respectful bow.

"Master, our transport is set to leave," Obi-Wan said, indicating the gaudy pink-and-white diplomatic shuttle behind them.

"Then we had better get a move on." Qui-Gon turned to face Aquel again and smiled. "May the Force be with you and guard your spirit until we meet again, my dearest Aquel."

"Aye, may the Force be with you also," Aquel replied, taking his hand. "Until you return to me, keep safe." Qui-Gon held her gaze for a moment in the silence, and she squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Safe journeys to you both. Don't let your master get into trouble, my Ben," she laughed.

"Safe journeys to you, Master Faemir," Obi-Wan returned. "Watch out for her, Kal'Take. She's a danger _magnet._"

"I can tell. After all, she's friends with you both," Kal'Take grinned.

"Nice one, my young apprentice," Aquel muttered, smiling. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan gave one last bow, which was dutifully returned by Aquel and her apprentice. The silver-haired Jedi watched them walk towards their transport with a hint of sadness in her stance. 

"I take it you and Qui-Gon have known each other for a very long time," Kal'Take said.

Aquel nodded. "We grew up here together. We've been on many missions together… it's brought us close." The woman sighed and watched the transport rise from the hanger into the hazy Coruscant sunlight. "I can't help but worry for them both."

"They look quite competent. I'm sure their mission will be successful," Kal said reassuringly.

Aquel smiled gratefully and placed a hand on Kal'Take's shoulder. "I'm sure they will, too. Now, I saw your interest in my ship… care to see her up close?"

"That's like asking a Gungan if they like the water, Master," Kal laughed.


	4. Ceremony

****

Notes: Well, not much new here… oh, yeah, 'cept for a few added lines to the Rivers bit, and a changed ending. My sister and I came up with a new mission to replace the old Jedi Fellowship one. Incidentally, Kyna Brytes is based on her ^^ I hope you enjoy the new stuff.

As Aquel Faemir lay down to sleep on her small cot in her Temple room, she allowed a small sigh of satisfaction at how the day had turned out. She had an apprentice, a wonderful being with a thirst for knowledge and a witty sense of humor, and everything seemed to be going her way. The Council had told them that the mission they were going to embark on was no longer necessary, which made Aquel feel better – she had a sense that something else would come up very soon.

The only thing bothering the Knight was this mission Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had been sent on. True, it was a simple thing – play ambassador to the Trade Federation and use the influence of the Jedi to make peace. She couldn't even see any danger in it. However, she had deep misgivings about where this mission would lead – she knew something would go awry, and Qui-Gon would be placed in grave danger. It never failed. He always came out alive, of course, but even she admitted that he was getting older. Every time the calls became just a bit closer, the margin of success a little narrower…

That was another thing playing on her mind. She and Qui-Gon were aging, and as much as they hated to think about it, time was running out for them. Every day Aquel cursed the Sith Trinity and its rule against love, and she was sure Qui-Gon did as well. It wasn't that either of them was so firmly enmeshed in Council doctrine that they couldn't break the rules, but they did understand where love would lead them, and also understood that they couldn't risk the consequences. Love would take them over and control them in a sense, and though neither thought of it as a particularly malevolent force, they knew that it would change their lives in very important - and perhaps harmful - ways. A lovestruck Qui-Gon probably wouldn't prove a very good mentor for Obi-Wan, and Aquel had enough on her mind as it was.

Though the pair had vowed never to overtly show their feelings, they couldn't deny them. Every time Aquel looked into his eyes, she could see that Qui-Gon loved her as much as she loved him, and that it hurt him that he couldn't show it. They had never gone beyond a chaste kiss to the cheek – though sometimes that lingered a bit longer than necessary, and Obi-Wan was getting suspicious. There were times, however, that Aquel could almost feel the desire vibrating on the Force strings… but neither gave in. Oh, there had been times when it had come close…

~Flashback~

Aquel was quite excited for the Naboo Festival of Rivers, a holy day that occurred only once every twenty years. She had only been at the Festival once in her life, when she was five, and then she hadn't really understood it. In keeping with Festival tradition that required a close friend to join in the celebration, Aquel had invited Qui-Gon Jinn to come with her. The thirty-year-old Knight had been Aquel's most trusted associate since she was old enough to remember, and perhaps now something more… but that was something the twenty-five-year-old newly-made Knight couldn't afford to think about. The dark side, she had been told, lurked in such feelings.

The long-awaited Festival of Rivers was especially spectacular that year. Every Naboo native who could get to the planet did, and the hotels were booked. Luckily, Qui-Gon and Aquel got a room in a special government hostel reserved for visiting dignitaries and Jedi knights. _Un_fortunately, there was only one bed… but Qui-Gon had politely offered to sleep on the couch. A rather embarrassed Aquel had not argued with him. 

As it turned out, they didn't use the room for much else other than sleeping – their three days there were spent enjoying the festivities. Typical to his nature, Qui-Gon made friends with many of the native residents, including a few Gungans. The aquatic beings weren't overly friendly to the Naboo people, but during the Festival honoring the life-giving rivers of the planet, all racial tensions evaporated.

On the third and final evening of their stay, Aquel and Qui-Gon hiked down to a secluded water source near the city Aquel had been born in. The small, swift-flowing river curved through fields and small, thick groups of trees, blessing miles of land with its sweet, nutrient-rich waters. Aquel felt a special bond with this river, as most Naboo residents did with some body of water or other, and had come back to it to conclude the Festival celebrations.

"So, you're telling me the holiest rite of this festival only involves swimming in a river?" Qui-Gon asked as they walked down towards the bank. A myriad of stars lit up the night, illuminated Aquel's beaming smile.

"Immersing yourself in the river of your birthplace is supposed to cleans your soul and purify your body," Aquel replied softly, almost reverently. "Some have come to this festival as murderers, the worst scum in the galaxy, but come away converted… of course, those are only tales," she added quickly, "but we all have our little odd beliefs, right?"

Qui-Gon smiled. "I think it's perfectly reasonable. Why should a river not cleanse in both the spiritual and physical sense of the word? So… how cold is this river?"

"Only as cold as you allow yourself to think it," Aquel giggled, tossing her heavy Jedi robe to Qui-Gon. "Just imagine it's a nice, warm bath. Don't think about ice cubes, glaciers, Hoth…"

"Oh, thanks," Qui-Gon said dryly, placing his robe and Aquel's down on a rock. He straightened up to make another joke, but quickly covered his eyes when he saw that Aquel had stripped down to next to nothing. She was obviously not wearing any bathing gear under her tunic and leggings. "Uh, Aquel… what exactly are you doing?"

"You don't honestly expect to be cleansed while clothed, do you?" Aquel asked, raising an eyebrow. "Every part of you must be touched by the river for this to work, Qui." With that she pulled off her tunic and tossed it to him. "Catch!"

"But Aquel- oh dear," he muttered, blushing bright red. He hoped the darkness hid the color of his face. "I'm not a Naboo resident – do I really have to join you?"

"Oh come on, Qui," Aquel pouted. "This is what I brought you here for!"

"The Council would not approve!" he protested, dropping the tunic.

"Since when has that ever stopped you?"

"Since it involved skinny-dipping in a freezing river, in the middle of the night-" Qui-Gon was about to finish with something about attractive naked females, but stopped short. His sputtering, pointless arguments were drowned out by a small splash as Aquel slipped into the river.

"Qui-Gon Jinn, if you don't get into this river right now, I'm going to get out and _drag_ you in!"

"No! That really won't be necessary! I'm coming!" Qui-Gon thought a moment, then called in a voice that did nothing to hide his embarrassment, "Could you turn around? Please?"

"Honestly, Qui! It's not like I haven't seen a naked man before. But, if you insist…"

Qui-Gon was about to ask where in the Force she had seen other naked men, but decided he probably wouldn't like the answer. Instead, he turned away from the river and, with his eyes still tightly shut, removed his many layers of Jedi clothing. Even though they were miles from anyone else, he had never felt quite so vulnerable. As he neatly folded his clothing in a pile, he suddenly had second thoughts and considered running, until he felt the slight tug of some invisible force at his ankles.

"Aquel! That's not fair!" he cried. 

"I don't trust you."

"Why are you so adamant that I join you in this insanity??"

"Because you're too uptight! You need cleansing, if only because you've never swum in a freezing river in the middle of the night before. Come on, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

"It's a once-ever-twenty-years experience!"

"I brought you here because I wanted to share this with you, Qui. Why are you protesting so much?"

Qui-Gon seriously thought about answering her question, but decided against it. Instead he let out a massive sigh and turned around, groping his way towards the river. He had gone perhaps five feet when he tripped over a root and fell headlong into the water. The ice-cold liquid bit into his skin like acid, and as he surfaced he let out a tremendous yell. "Dear god, it's cold!"

"Only as cold as you let yourself think," Aquel reminded him as she swam slow, lazy circles.

"Exactly how long do we have to stay in here?" he asked, his teeth chattering. The bank was so close, just a few strokes would bring him there…

"Don't worry, Qui. A few more minutes and you won't even feel cold. We're waiting for the concluding rites of this festival, which should occur soon."

"What are we looking for?" In receiving the shock of cold from the river, Qui-Gon had opened his eyes. He kept them carefully averted from Aquel as he scanned the riverbanks.

"Oh believe me, you'll know when you see it," she replied. "Anyway, while we wait, care to race to the opposite bank?"

Qui-Gon backed water slightly, edging away from Aquel and trying to be as casual about it as possible. "I'm not very good at swimming."

"Well, neither am I."

"Dooku gave you extensive lessons in the art of swimming, if I remember correctly."

"That was only to improve my stamina, and I've forgotten everything he taught me."

"Really? Somehow I don't believe you."

"Trust me, Qui-Gon. I can't swim."

"You're going to torment me until I agree, aren't you?"

"Of course."

Qui-Gon sighed again. Now that he was actually _in_ the water, the situation didn't seem so bad. He was no longer so fixated on avoiding looking at Aquel. "All right, to the opposite bank…"

"What d'you think, a diving start?" she asked.

"That would involve getting out onto the bank, wouldn't it?"

"Just think, the cold air freezing your skin would make the river seem warm!"

"You may be right…" Qui-Gon paddled to the closer bank and hauled himself on shore, shaking his hair dry like a dog. Aquel followed shortly. It was then that Qui-Gon realized his mistake in _leaving_ the river: the spell that had kept him from thinking about her was broken, and he hadn't even attempted to avoid the sight of her as she came out of the water. To make matters worse, the moon came out from behind a cloud and illuminated her sky-clad form.

When she sensed the tensing of his muscles behind her, Aquel looked up. She was about to ask what he looked so thunderstruck about when she felt what he was thinking, through the grace of the Force Strings. Suddenly she was aware of her own thoughts, once covered by the river's spell, and they half frightened her. Her senses seemed to sharpen, and suddenly she could hear his breathing and rapid heartbeat, see his muscles tensed beneath his skin, and she could _smell_ him. It was the smell that was the strangest thing to her. She had never noticed the smell of another being before. Qui-Gon smelled faintly of grass and damp stones, though where he could have picked up that scent, Aquel didn't know. These three sensory inputs, along with the all-encompassing Force that allowed her to sense his thoughts and feelings, made her realize just how much she wanted him, and how much he wanted _her_ in return…

The two would have surely broken at least one Council law that night had it not been for the final miracle of the Rivers. The sky seemed to catch fire as millions of tiny, brightly sparkling meteorites hurtled towards Naboo's surface. They covered the sky in a wave, closely following the massive, blue-flaming tail of a comet that burned its way across space like a dying star. Aquel and Qui-Gon stared up, spellbound by the spectacle, their hands entwined. Though the small rocks were trailing tails of flame, they seemed to take the form of a great waterfall from the heavens, bathing everything in their ethereal glow. All over Naboo eyes were turned skyward to the same sight…

Though the entire meteor shower lasted only five minutes, to the watchers it was like an eternity. When the last wave of stones had burnt up in Naboo's atmosphere, Aquel and Qui-Gon broke out of their dream-like trance. They looked to each other and a mutual recognition passed between them. It was Aquel who voiced the thought aloud.

"We can't be together… the Council laws all have their reasons."

Qui-Gon nodded slowly in agreement. "We would risk much if the Council ever knew… both repercussions from the Council and unalterable effects in our own lives."

"And yet we cannot deny the feelings within us," Aquel noted softly, squeezing Qui-Gon's hand a little tighter.

"They _must_ be kept secret."

Aquel nodded, almost regretfully. "They will…"

And so both Jedi gathered up their respective robes and clothed themselves, and when they returned to the Temple the next day neither spoke of what had passed between them.

Neither of them would forget it, though.

~-~-~-

Aquel's portent of a coming mission proved true, once again. Mace Windu smiled wryly as he thought of what an excellent addition she would make to the council – with her gift for seeing, she could predict many confrontations and therefore help the council avoid them altogether. It wasn't that master Yoda wasn't gifted, but… getting any straight information from the little Master was like getting a cash donation from a Hutt. And getting Aquel to join the Council was like getting a Tauntaun to behave.

Mace straightened up in his seat and fixed Aquel with his piercing gaze, the sort of look that could freeze a lesser creature in its tracks. Aquel stared back boldly, but not disrespectfully – she wasn't one to make a show of cowering obedience. Anyway, Mace thought, that sort of thing was for the palaces of crimelords, not for the Temple. "You say you were warned of this in a dream?" he asked, pulling himself from his inner musings.

"I did," Aquel replied. "Last night, or should I say this morning, I had another nightmare. I saw a child crying in pain, and a hideous lizard-monster covered in strange tattoos…. I also heard the name 'Kyna'. Does that name mean anything to you?"

Mace frowned for a moment, his brow wrinkled. "Kyna Brytes… she's a Padawan, a human girl of about 14 years."

"Who's her master?"

"He's an older Jedi, a Mon Calamari by the name of Hssif Arcues."

"And have they been on any recent missions?"

Mace looked up at Aquel, slightly irritated. He felt like he was being interrogated. "They did, to quell an uprising on the planet… Ryysh, I believe."

"Ryysh…" Aquel tilted her head, drawing stored knowledge from her memory. "It's inhabited by the predatory Raaptyr, isn't it? Qui-Gon and I once went on a mission there, and barely escaped with our lives. If an elderly Jedi and his young apprentice ventured there…" Aquel frowned suddenly. "They're in grave danger, Mace. I'd like to see if I can get them out of it."

Mace shook his head. "If it's such a dangerous planet, why would you want to risk a trip there? You're only one knight…"

"Yes, but I'm a very experienced one, I know my way around the planet, and my apprentice is an amazingly skilled duelist. I think we can handle ourselves." Aquel smiled lightly. "Unless you'd rather take the mission… oh, but that would mean leaving your precious council…"

Mace scowled. "That's enough of that, miss Faemir."

"Are you trying to intimidate me?" Aquel asked, feigning shock. "I would think you, above all people, would respect your elders-"

"I said, that will be enough," Mace replied, standing up abruptly. He wasn't angry - he was too well trained and stoic for that - but she was trying what little patience he had left. "I would think you would have the sense to respect those of higher rank than you. I know I'm in no position to castigate you, but is that any reason to flout your position?" Mace fixed her with a piercing stare, but she merely shrugged, not ashamed in the least. 

"You know I was only jesting, Mace. Settle down." Her face suddenly became serious, and she lowered her head slightly. "Time grows short for the young Padawan. Will you grant me permission to travel to Ryysh?"

Mace sighed, his stiff form relaxing slightly. He should have known better than to let Aquel get under his skin like that. "You have the Council's blessing in this. Report back frequently with your status. I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for a lost cause."

"Oh, concerned for my welfare are you?" Aquel asked, a hint of a grin creeping onto her face. "Don't worry. I won't get myself or my Padawan killed. I swear it by the Force."

"Then go, and see if you can rescue Padawan Brytes." Mace smiles for a fraction of a second. "Force knows, if anyone can save her, you can. May the Force be with you."

~-~-~- 

Kal'Take Chanre was nervous. Her master hadn't mentioned anything about their coming mission, and the sustained silence was unnerving to the young Kyri. What was Aquel thinking? Had Kal displeased her already? Had she found out about the low Midichlorien count? Kal'Take didn't think she could bear it if her Master was upset at her, or worse, decided to get rid of her and replace her with a more talented pupil. Kal'Take had never been ashamed of her weaknesses before, but they hadn't ever really been a problem for her… if they betrayed her now, all of her work with the Sabers would be for naught. If Aquel dropped her now, she'd be sent out of the Temple to some menial, physical job somewhere far away from Coruscant. At that point she'd have little left to sustain her. What good were sabers to a farmer? Better to end her life than suffer in sorrow…

But a Jedi wasn't supposed to dwell on thoughts like those. A Jedi was supposed to hope, to look to the bright side. What good would moping do? It was possible Aquel was just naturally quiet. Then again, everything Kal had ever heard about the pale-faced Master contradicted that point. Maybe she should just ask and get it out in the open. It was better than waiting, anyway.

"Master?" Kal began tentatively, "Are you… upset with me?"

Aquel turned to her in surprise, but the expression was unreadable to Kal. The young Kyri dropped her head in shame, certain that Aquel would pronounce her disgust at any moment. Instead, only puzzlement showed on the Master's face.

"Upset with you? Why should I be?" she asked, stopping abruptly and turning to face her shame-faced young pupil. A thousand reasons flitted across her mind: had Kal'Take committed some crime she didn't know about? _Should_ she be upset with the Kyri?

"Well, I thought… I mean…" Kal fumbled with words for a moment, then blurted out, "You must know I'm the weakest pupil in the temple. I've got the lowest Midichlorien count of any apprentice in a century. I thought maybe you wouldn't want to train me because I'm so weak…" The words caught in her throat and she bowed her head even further, shame and disappointment bringing a deep blush to the skin around her eyes and beak.

Instead of the expected harsh words, though, Kal heard only bell-like laughter from her Master. Was she being laughed at now? "Oh, my dear Kal… do you really think that should matter to me?" Aquel asked.

"I… I don't know," Kal replied in a shaky voice.

Aquel sighed slightly and lifted her pupil's face to stare into her own. "Tell me Kal, do I look disappointed? Midichloriens mean nothing to me. What matters is what's inside. Someone in your position has two options: They can give up and sulk about their weaknesses, or they can refuse to give in and fight them. You're the fighting sort, and that's worth twenty-thousand Midichloriens." She smiled gently and folded her arms into her sleeves. "Now, will you get this silly notion of disappointment out of your head? The only way you could ever anger me would be to give up on yourself."

Kal'Take looked down at the floor again, but this time in deep gratitude. "Thank you Master Faemir," she said softly. She couldn't think of any other words to express her gratitude and relief, but she supposed the look on her face was enough. "Thank you."

****

A/N: Woo!! From here on out, I get to type my hand-written new stuff!! SWEET!!


	5. Dogma

****

Notes: Yeah! I got the Episode I DVD for Christmas!! WOO! Ewan gets shaved in the Duel of the Fates music- oy! My computer doesn't have 'Ewan' in the spellcheck! …IT DOES NOW! HAH! …wean? What the-??

Only five standard time parts after Aquel's conference with Mace, she and her apprentice were on their way to Ryysh. The _Shield Dodger_ streaked elegantly, soundlessly, and untracked through hyperspace, leaving nothing but a holopad notice behind. Aquel and Kal'Take sat within the austere cockpit of the Dodger, both resting in the small but well-padded seats. Aquel had slept many times in her durable little ship, and by now just the soft feel of the leather behind her head was enough to set her drowsing. Kal'Take, on the other hand, was studying the _Dodger_'s controls with great interest. The young Kyri had loved mechanics and anything having to do with building since she'd constructed her own lightsabers. The way circuits and wires fit together amazed her. 

"Do you know much about starships?" Aquel, fighting off a yawn, asked her apprentice.

"Well, only what I've read from the Archives," Kal admitted. "That's not much, since most of my studies revolved around combat. I know about basic ship construction and the newest models, but I'm afraid I fall short with the finer details."

"So do I," Aquel replied a bit ruefully. "I can tell you everything there is to know about the N-1 series, and I know quite a bit about the different parts I put into my ship, but otherwise I'm lost."

"Oh, the N-1… I've heard of those. They're Naboo models, right?"

Aquel nodded. "They're the basic starfighter of the Naboo people and have been for quite some time. This used to be a very old model, and it wasn't in great shape. Then I fixed and… well… you see the results around you. Kuat Shipyards remodeled the exterior, and Rathe Seinar installed many of my… special modifications."

Kal looked over the shining bulkheads, admiration evident in her eyes. "I wish I had a starship."

"Do your people specialize in any specific type of ship manufacturing?" Aquel asked curiously.

Kal'Take lowered her eyes for a moment, seemingly reluctant to answer. "They do…" she trailed off, and was silent. Aquel sensed her discomfort and didn't press the issue. That was odd, though, evading such a harmless question… but instead of probing for details, she changed the subject to something quite different. Aquel was a student of many teachers, all of them rebellious. Naturally she wished to pass on her own unique view of the Force to her pupil, and the best way of doing that was by testing all of Kal's ingrained ideas. What better way to change someone than to make them question what they'd been taught?

"Tell me," she asked suddenly, still staring out the viewport at the white streaks of stars, "why must a Jedi never attack?"

"Attack is motivated by anger, and anger leads to the Dark Side," Kal'Take said, rattling off the phrase that every apprentice was taught before they could walk or talk properly.

"Is attack always motivated by anger?"

This question caused Kal to pause. The codes had never been challenged before, and she didn't quite know how to respond. "Not always, I suppose," she said tentatively.

Aquel nodded, a smile creeping onto her face. "Generalizations are the worst enemy of all. Now tell me, when would it be right for a Jedi to attack, then?"

"In circumstances not motivated by fear and hate, I suppose it would be," Kal said slowly. The basic framework of her morality was being undermined, and though it was uncomfortable to say the least, it wasn't entirely a bad thing - though at the moment the confused Kyri wasn't so sure of that.

"More importantly," Aquel said gravely, "when the mission depends on it." The older Jedi fixed Kal'Take with a piercing gaze, as if mentally transmitting the importance of her words to her young apprentice. "If a mission requires the bending of council dogmas to be successful, do so. If you must initiate an attack to win a battle, do not be afraid to act upon that."

Kal tilted her head to one side quizzically. "What are the Council laws in place for, then?"

"They provide a framework to keep the young from delving into the dangers of the Dark Side," Aquel replied. "There are laws which must never be broken, no matter what the circumstances."

"And what are those?"

"A Jedi must not know fear, nor anger, nor hatred," Aquel said solemnly. "More than attack, more than violence, more than greed, more than possession, more than anything else, these things lead to the dark side. If you do not know fear, if you do not know hate, then you will never know the Dark Side."

"What of the third law of the Sith Trinity?" Kal asked cautiously, bringing up the old three-sided mantra that was at the heart of Jedi training.

"What does that law say?" Aquel asked, perfectly aware of what it said, but wanting her young charge to answer in her own words.

"A Jedi must not know love, for it will lead to hate and the Dark Side."

Aquel gave a tight smile. " Listen closely, Kal'Take, for what you will hear from me is very important. My ideals are based on experience. What I tell you know borders on a sort of blasphemy in the eyes of many council members." She paused and looked up thoughtfully. "Tell me, what, exactly, did they tell you love leads to? How does it lead to the Dark Side?"

"Love leads to possession, which leads to jealousy, which leads to anger, hatred, and the Dark Side," Kal recited, her voice full of uncertainty.

"Is this true for all relationships?"

"No..."

Aquel nodded in satisfaction. "Love is one of the most powerful forces in the galaxy. It truly binds us together, penetrates our being, influences us, speaks to us... in short, it almost seems like the embodiment of the Force itself."

"Then why is it banned?" Kal asked, puzzled.

"Love can also corrupt," Aquel said softly. "If we are not careful with love, who we love, just as if we are not careful with the Force, then we will fall to evil. In ages long past, love was a threat to the Jedi order. Rather than risk losing its young pupils to the perceived threat of love, the Council banned it altogether. You must understand, though, that love can also keep the Dark Side at bay. If you love someone deeply, with all your heart, and that love is pure, the mere thought of it can keep you away from the darkness."

Kal'Take nodded thoughtfully, taking all of this in. It made perfect sense now that she really ruminated over it, but what had brought Aquel to challenge such a deeply rooted doctrine? Certainly there was a reason... but at the moment, the Kyri was at a loss as to what that reason was.

~-~-~-

Kal'Take's homeworld of Kyiish wasn't charted on many political maps of the galaxy, nor was it paid much attention by the Republic. It was a small planet, populated only by the Kyri people and numerous varieties of wild creatures. Imported specimens had made their homes there, turning the once-isolated world into a showcase of evolution. Still, no one seemed to care much about the shorthaired Tauntauns that ran wild across the vast open Kyriish planes, nor about the Kyri themselves.

Of course, the beings in question enjoyed their solitude. They didn't care much for other races and were quite happy to keep to themselves. Their primitive lifestyle wasn't conducive to hyperspace travel, so few Kyri ever left their home forest. Those that did rarely stayed away for more than a year or so, as Kyriish seemed to call to its inhabitants, calling them back.

Drayken was one of the few who had never heard this call. A member of the influential family of Rockbeaks and the son of one of the political leaders of Kyriish, he was a very well respected being both on and off his homeworld. Apart from Kal'Take, he was one of the only four Kyri to visit Coruscant since the formation of the New Republic, which was quite a claim. He had dined with Supreme Chancellors, sat in meetings with Senators, and argued politics with some of the highest members of the Republic - but still, Kyriish remained isolated and quite apart from the rest of the civilized galaxy. No one thought to ask Drayken why this was so. After all, a Kyri so embedded in galactic politics must be doing some good for his homeworld, no matter how invisible.

In truth, the well-to-do Kyri of noble birth was negotiating for himself. With his political connections he could get any information he desired, even the most classified documents. Even at this very moment he was well aware of the coup about to occur within the senate; Senator Palpatine himself had told Drayken of his plans to gain the position of Supreme Chancellor. This would place Drayken in a very nice position indeed: Palpatine was one of his closest allies. With this human at the head of the Republic, there would be little standing between Drayken and his eventual goals. Of course, all of Drayken's gains would be useless if the young Kyri Kal'Take reached knighthood. She was the only hitch in his plan…

Drayken pushed these thoughts of failure out of his mind. Kal'Take was young and vulnerable, no threat to him or his master at the moment. He stretched his muscular arms out, yawning widely as the rising sun peered in through his fourth-story window. It reflected off of his savage, hooked beak and glinting black talons and claws, and his white crest feathers glowed in the sunlight like quicksilver. Indeed, the male Kyri was quite an imposing sight, standing a full five feet tall: a towering height for the avian species. His black eye-crests highlighted glittering green eyes flecked with gold, and his brown body feathers were as smooth as silk. Clad as he was in a simple black tunic and deep brown surcoat, he could have passed for a simple politician. Only the silvery cylinder glinting at his waist marked him as something more.

~-~-~-

Ryysh really was a misrable place, Aquel thought as she pulled the _Shield Dodger_ out of hyperspace and into viewing range of the yellow-brown planet. Thick, acrid clouds obscured much of Ryysh's surface, and what little surface that did show was quite uninviting. Great red pools covered much of the middle regions of the planet, and the rest of it was a dull brown. Three bright stars surrounded the planet: a tiny white dwarf and a pair of larger yellow ones. Ryysh was pulled in an odd orbit around the white drawf, between the two yellow stars in a strange ellipse that kept it close to the boiling heat of its suns constantly. During its cool season, when one side of it faced space rather than the neighboring stars, it still circled close enough to the white dwarf to keep it at an average temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. When it passed between the yellow and white stars, the temperature rose to an unbearable 300 degrees at the equator.

Because of this constant searing heat, most of the planet's middle consisted of oceans of molten rock and islands of glassy melted sand. The poles weren't much better: high, sharp rocky walls thrust from the lifeless surface, their pitted sides eroded from billions of years of heat and gravity. During the hot seasons rivers of magma would flow from the tops of these peaks, carving rugged canyons and deep valleys. It was surprising that anything could survive at all in such a harsh place, but life always finds a way. Massive Fire Worms inhabited the equatorial lava oceans, their thick, diamond-hard hides protecting them from the insane heat. They fed off of the mineral-eating Glass Slugs, and the slugs in turn ingested pitiful nutrition from the sand and rock of the glass islands. Broad-winged, flying reptiles soared across the inhospitable landscape, migrating north during the hot seasons. 

The Raptyyr themselves weren't native species: Ryysh couldn't support the evolution of a sentient being. The fierce reptiles were conquered on their home planet and exiled to Ryysh in the hopes that they would parish. This occurred so far in the past, and in such an isolated part of the galaxy, that the Raptyyr's original homeworld is long forgotten. Though the reptiles were sent to the surface with nothing, they tenaciously clung to existence and managed to eke out a meager survival in the rocky poles. Through thousands of years of hardening conditions, the Raptyyr became an isolated, rugged, impossible-to-kill race. Because of their dubious past, they resented all other beings and had no interest in the affairs of other worlds. They kept to themselves, and any trespassers to their planet were in grave danger.

Aquel knew all this. She'd read up on the Raptyyr and knew just what sort of danger she was leading her pupil into. They were unlikely to escape unscathed, and even less likely to rescue Kyna. However, she was bound by her code to attempt the rescue… besides, Kal'Take could use an exercise in real-world dueling.

So she lowered her ship to the Planet's surface, unafraid of the future.


End file.
